It’s now more common than ever to see a mom who is strongly in the workforce. In fact, women now make up at least half of all workers. This doesn’t mean that fewer people are having families though, they are somehow doing both. Being a full-time or part-time working mom can lead to feelings such as guilt and stress because of the feeling of divided attention between work and family. The key is to have a focused plan, get organised and try to find the right balance between parenthood and a profession.
Have a look below at some of the ways you can help yourself to have a good work-life balance as a working mom:
Try To Let Go Of The Guilt
Instead of dwelling on the fact you’re not with your child, think about how the role you place in the workplace benefits the family. Maybe you can afford more classes or extracurricular activities for your children or you’re able to save for their future. You need to be able to come to terms with the choice you have made to work, and that means focusing on the reasons you chose to work in the first place. These are usually so you can help to provide the best for your children. Try to accept that there will be good and bad days at times. You need to be aware that you’re not alone and speak with your partners or family and friends about your feelings. Speaking with and joining working mom support groups is a great way to understand and let go of the guilt that often comes with working.
Find Excellent Quality Childcare
There is nothing worse than worrying about where your child is being looked after whilst you’re at work. Talk to your friends and family for references for babysitters, childminders and daycare centres. Going off of recommendation is often the best way to secure a good quality childcare service to use. You can also view childcare services online and see reviews from other parents who have used them. Put together a list of criteria that are important and then schedule a time to interview qualified childcare providers or to visit local daycares so you can see them in action. If you find it difficult to leave your children in child care you might want to research Working Mothers: The Jobs You Can Do From Home.
Make Mornings Easier
The best thing that you can do in order to have a great start to the day is to get organized the night before. Avoid last-minute preparations in the mornings. Pick out everyone outfits for the day, pack the school bags, prepare everyone lunches, repack the baby bag, backpacks, purses work bags and have everyone take a shower or bath in the evening instead of the morning. It’s also handy to think about what you’re going to have for breakfast, and even get the bowls and glasses ready for the first thing. You could even have all the bags, shoes and coats next to the door ready to leave. It’s a good idea to have a schedule in place so you can look ahead of the week, this way you will know which day’s the kids may need extra items such as music instruments, school projects or sportswear. If you’re living with a partner you could divide up the morning tasks and decide who’s going to get the kids ready, take them to school or childcare and who’s going to prepare breakfast. Knowing that you’re organised like this will make mornings much more relaxing and will leave you some time to catch up with the kids.
Create And Organize Your Family Calendar
You should think about your families priorities. When creating a family calendar you should include thing such as dates bills are due, a chore chart for you and kids, a list of school and family events, any extracurricular activities, birthdays, and more. Google calendars can be brilliant for this. Setting just fifteen minutes to one side once a week can give you the power you need to create and maintain a family calendar.
Communicate With Your Employer
Before you jump in a request everything that you think you need, do some research about what other employees have had in order to make their work life more flexible when having a family. You can then use this information to your advantage to request something similar. Of course, every employer is different, and only you will know how much you need to share, but try to be as open and honest as you possibly can. If you find that you’re struggling with a routine try to present solutions and propose a trial period to your employer. If you need maternity leave it’s a good idea to discuss this in detail with your employer and put together a plan for when you return to work.
Stay Connected During the Day
A great way to counteract a busy work schedule is to make sure you stay connected with your kids and partner even when you’re not together. If you have a younger kid you might want to think about recording yourself talking or singing on a video or record yourself reading along to a children’s book. If you’re going to miss or be late to a child’s event then explain it to them and maybe consider getting them something nice for in the morning of the event like a personal note or good luck charm. Research how you could possibly record the event so you can watch it later, this is also a reassurance for children as they know that you still want to see it but have commitments. If you struggle when at work, try adding a couple of family pictures to your desk, it can really help you to help through the tougher days.
Create Special Family Activities
Making time for your kids is essential, during the week and on the weekends. This helps to nurture your family dynamic and enables everyone to bond as family unit. If you’re tight on time, simply having breakfast together or one night a week where you sit and watch a film or play boards games is something that everyone can look forward to. Try focusing on your children activities, as something to incorporate to a weekend activity.
Spend Time With Your Partner
Remember to encourage and look after your relationship with your partner, who will usually be the number one person by your side. Think about having monthly date nights in order to rejuvenate and feel closer. If you’re busy with work and home life then sometimes your partner can be mistakenly forgotten. Looking after the relationship is important so make sure you’re checking on each other, doing little things for each other and making an effort to spend some quality time together.
Create Time For Yourself
Once you’re managing all of the above you should be in a position where you feel as though you’re organised and in charge. You shouldn’t forget to schedule in some time for ‘just you’ too. It will help you to recharge and take care of any personal needs. You can’t be the supermom that you are if you’re cranky, tired and worn out. Try to fit in time for healthy eating and exercise such as yoga class or maybe even focus on a hobby.
These are some of the ways that you can help yourself achieve a good working life balance as a working mom. Do you have anything else that you can do that will help? Please share them in the comments below.